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Children and Organic Consumption
Changing Patterns of Food Habit
This is a fact now that our children are increasingly becoming overweight or obese.
Certain sporadic surveys conducted in different parts of India over the past decade
suggest that 2.9-14.3 percent children in the country could be obese and 1.5-24 percent
overweight. The problem has particularly assumed a public health concern in urban
areas. In one of the studies, the result shows that 30 percent of children living in urban
areas are obese or overweight. In another study published in the Indian Journal of Public
Health, experts say 33 percent of children studying in affluent schools are obese or
overweight. Childhood obesity is a matter of serious concern because children, who are
overweight or obese, grow up to be overweight or obese adults. Besides, child-hood
obesity is also a forerunner of metabolic syndrome, poor physical health, respiratory
problems and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension and glucose
intolerance (type-II diabetes). NCDs typically occur later in life. Till three decades ago,
they were not a pediatrician’s concern. But they are now beginning to appear among
children, the experts opine.
Why Organic Food Is the Best for Children?
Looking to this alarming situation of obesity and changing food habits, consuming organic
food, specially for children is very healthful, even more people are looking for where
organic food is available. These foods are full of nutrients and free from harmful
substances that threaten the life. There are things that really differ between organic and
non-organic food. Organic food contains many times more nutrients compared to non-
organic food. Children need a lot of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals for maximum
growth. Thus, the only way is to give them a variety of organic food. Besides being loaded
with nutrients, organic foods also have a very good taste that children will love. It can
trigger the child liking these food and vegetables.
Why the Need of Awareness among Children?
Looking at the above changing pattern of eating habits of children, there is drastic need
to shift towards organic and create awareness among children about hazardous effects of
chemical-based products and benefits of organic farming and products. In rural areas,
children can easily talk to their farmer parents about the hazardous effects of chemical
farming and adopt organic farming. In government schools, mid-day meal is being
provided to upper primary level children under a government sponsored scheme. If
organic gardens are developed in these schools and the vegetables are used for mid-day
meal for the children, then we can address the problem of malnutrition in the children
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through that. So, this particular issue carries an importance and hence was put in the
main agenda of activities of 2017-21 phase.
This unique activity started in the 2018-19 period to bring the campaign of organic
farming to the level of children and to target them, schools are suited to be the best
platform. To inculcate the culture of organic farming and consumption among children,
school administrators were convinced to establish clubs of select school students,
preferably higher, classes and through them create organic gardens in the school campus
itself.
After the first successful phase last year, this activity has promoted enthusiasm among
young consumers, who have proved themselves as young stakeholders in our
intervention with whom we could inculcate a culture of sustainable consumption and
contribute towards safe and sustainable food systems. Eighteen new school clubs and an
equal number of organic gardens (two in each district) are the means of verification of
this particular activity along with synthesis reports, names of club members and media
reports. Like two years back, schools of Deoli in Sawai Madhopur and Mundia Ramsar in
Jaipur have been repeated this year also as model schools. These two schools were
awarded as the best performing schools of 2018-19.
The details of activities of 2019-20 phase is as under:
List of Schools Targeted in the Year 2018-19
S. N. Name of the School District
1. Maa Sharda Girls Hostel, Mangrop Bhilwara
2. Maa Sharda Girls Shelter Home, Sarana Bhilwara
3. Govt. Upper Primary School, Deoli Sawai Madhopur
4. St. Pauls English Sr. Sec. School Sawai Madhopur
5. Govt. Upper Primary School, Gadiya Mehar Jhalawar
6. Govt. Girls Sr. Sec School, Asnawar Jhalawar
7. Aadarsh Vidhya Mandir, Lalsot Dausa
8. Aadarsh Vidhya Mandir, Dausa Dausa
9. Govt. Primary School, Pherniyo Ka Guda Udaipur
10. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Thoor Udaipur
11. Govt. Bheemrao Ambedkar Hostel, Belwa Jodhpur
12. Shaheed E AzamBhagatsingh Sec. School, Chakhoo Jodhpur
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13. Major Natwar Singh Govt. Sr. Sec. School Chittorgarh
14. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Eral Chittorgarh
15. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Baseda Pratapgarh
16. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Chandoli Pratapgarh
17. Govt. Sr. Sec. School Dewri Kota
18. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Rangpur Kota
19. St. Paul’s Mar Thoma School, Mundiya Ramsar Jaipur
20. Sarvodaya Sr. Sec. School, Sanganer Jaipur
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List of Schools Where Organic Gardens
Were Initiated in the Year 2019-20
S. N. Name of the School District
1. Govt. Girls Hostel, Brahmano ki Saredi Bhilwara
2. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Kotadi Bhilwara
3. Govt. Upper Primary School, Deoli Sawai Madhopur
4. Govt. Sanskrit Primary School, Dunda Sawai Madhopur
5. Govt. Upper Primary School, Lakhakhedi Jhalawar
6. Kasturba Awasiya Govt. Girls Sec School, Asnawar Jhalawar
7. Govt. Primary School, Village :Khatwa,Lalsot Dausa
8. Govt. Upper Primary School, Sher Singh Rajawas Dausa
9. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Tulsidas Ji ki Sarai, Girwa Block Udaipur
10. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Jogi ka Talab, Girwa Block Udaipur
11. Govt. Bheemrao Ambedkar Hostel, Chamoo Jodhpur
12. Central School, Tiwari Jodhpur
13. Govt. Sanskrit Primary School, Khardi Bawdi Chittorgarh
14. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Netawalgarh Pachli Chittorgarh
15. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Karunda, ,Choti Sadri Pratapgarh
16. Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Bambora, Choti Sadri Pratapgarh
17 Govt. Sr. Sec. School Sogriya, Ladpura Kota
18 Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Candrasen, Ladpura Kota
19 St. Paul’s Mar Thoma School, Mundiya Ramsar Jaipur
20 Govt. Sr. Sec. School, Mohanpura, Prathvi Singh Jaipur
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Implementation of Various Activities under the Intervention
Introductory Meetings
For implementation of the activity, introductory meetings were organized in every
school for the organic gardens. The project team first convinced the school authorities
about this initiative and later decided to form a club consisting of 20-25 senior school
children of the school. The concerned school management incharge, who under the
guidance of school principal first developed a club and for that selected 30-35 children
of senior classes, preferably from the science faculty. The project team, agricultural
experts and district partners then held introductory meetings for club members along
with staff to develop organic garden in the schools. Children were taught on how to
do growing, weeding, seed sowing and caring of plants. Meetings were organized in
each school to sensitize and familiarize them with the practice of organic farming in
the garden. Students were divided into different groups and given the responsibility
of work in the garden. Prior to that, school management also designated a proper
place for organic garden.
Distribution of Inputs
Required inputs for developing organic garden, some garden tools in the form of hand
hoe, weed remover, khurpi, water pipe, scissor etc. and seeds and plants saplings were
distributed to schools. With the information gathered from technical sessions, field
activities were done in the field by students as member of club. Fencing of selected
area, where required, was done by the partners.
Evaluation Meetings
Under the latter part of activities, when the organic gardens got started taking shape,
evaluation meetings in each school were organized. The purpose of these meetings
was to sort out any gardening related issues with the club members and school
authorities. For this, an evaluation format was developed to provide ranking of
gardens. This process also evaluated the overall performance of the school in terms
of maintaining the garden by way of appropriate scoring. According to the marks
obtained during the evaluation, two gardens were selected for the best prize in the
year 2018-19. The prizes for best organic garden were distributed during the
stakeholder consultation of that year.
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Overall Evaluation of the Activity
As reported in the above para, prior to the start of the meetings, an evaluation format
was developed to do the ranking of the gardens. In every evaluation, team members
discussed with teachers and students for the betterment of gardens.
The team first observed and checked the register of club members regarding the
number of children taking part in gardening process on day today basis. It was also
noted that as to how much time and how many of the school management committee
members are giving in organic gardening along with students as observers.
The project team also viewed, whether the area assigned for gardening is sufficient
enough and proper for gardening purposes. Besides, the team also evaluated as to
whether there are proper arrangements for watering the plants and whether, the
garden area requires proper fencing to protect the plants from stray animals.
Within the evaluation, the team also reviewed as to what all plants have been grown
in the garden. In the evaluation, it was observed that many schools preferred to grow
vegetables and less fruit plants. There are very schools, which have grown other
plants besides vegetables and fruits.
As suggested all the schools have displayed the organic garden information on the
boundary walls of schools. Regarding the garden tool kit, all schools have purchased
them prior to start of doing the gardening. The school authorities were asked to
purchase additional tools depending upon their requirements and needs.
The team members and subject experts provided sufficient and helpful knowledge for
gardening, for which, both the school management and the club members have
expressed their satisfaction. Regarding the ratings, it was observed that on and
average, 4 to 5 ratings were given to schools, which are either excellent or very good.
There have been couple of schools, which scored less than 4 but later they were given
an opportunity to prove their performance by way of revisist to these schools.
Conclusion
The activity made an impact on the thinking of teachers and students both. Where
gardens have been developed successfully and students have developed taste for
organic products, they are interested to grow and use organic products and
vegetables. Government schools can take their own initiative adopting organic garden
in their schools. The activity will be continued in coming years. This type of activities
should be implemented in all government schools.
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An Achievement
Government Accrediting Organic Kitchen Gardens in Schools
The Government of India has also started recognizing the efforts of involving school
children by way of issuing an official circular of 'School Nutrition (Kitchen) Guidelines
(S N G)' https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/SNG_Guidelines_0.pdf
stating instructions and guidelines to all state-level governments for escalating this
initiative of Organic Kitchen Gardens and Organic Clubs setups within schools within
their respective states. All these developments in the last two-three years have provided
not only a base for all organic farmers of the state but also set a direction for both organic
and chemical farming farmers of the state. CUTS perceives all these as positive
developments within the project, which helps in creating an enabling environment and a
proper platform to work.
Evaluation Form Format
(Filled up by Project Monitoring Team)
1. Name of the Team Member: ……………………………………………………………………………….
2. Day and Date: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. School (Government/Private): ……………………………………………………………………………
4. School (Upper Primary/Secondary/Senior Secondary);
5. Gram Panchayat: …………………………………………., Block: ………………………………………..
District: …………………………………………..
6. Project Partner: ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Number of Children in Club and Number of Members of SMC (Check the Register)?
8. How much time is given by club members in the organic garden:
9. Area of Organic Garden: ……………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Is the gardening system is proper? …………………………………………………………………….
11. Is the water system in the garden is appropriate? ………………………………………………
12. Have the fruit plants have been planted in the garden? If yes, which ones?
13. Which vegetable are grown in the organic garden?
14. Have any other plants are being planted in the garden other than vegetable and fruit? If yes,
which ones?
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15. Is the information board displayed in the organic garden? …………………………………
16. Have you bought a tool kit for organic garden and what inputs are provided in addition to the
tool kit?
17. Any Plan/Suggestion by school administration for future of organic garden?
18. How many points would you like to give to the organic garden based on the evaluation?
5- Very Good 4- Good 3- Ordinary 2- Need improvement 1- Bad
Signature Signature
Project team member of CUTS Project Partner
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Glimpses
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Media Coverage